The Magnuson Children's Garden

It's nesting time for our resident Anna's Hummingbirds!

2012-01-12T14:50:00.000-08:00

Hi there Children's Garden fans,
Have you ever noticed the gigantic rose that's growing just behind our Children's Garden interpretive sign with the whimsical garden map? That amazing plant is an ancient Rosa 'Cecile Brunner' climbing rose, that each spring and summer is covered in masses of fragrant pink flowers. But that's not even the best part of its life! This rose has the honor of being the favorite perch for our resident Anna's Hummingbirds, and is "home base" for their annual courtship displays which are fantastic to watch. Their most elaborate displays usually take place in January and February, but last fall they were also happening in October! Perhaps you've even seen the incredible aerial dives and swoops yourself, in the Children's Garden or elsewhere.... these little birds are not very afraid of humans and will swoop right over your head if you are standing close to the object of their affection!

Because this large climbing rose is such an important site for these year-round residents, it is likely to also contain a nest, which is not visible from the outside of the plant. We haven't ever seen a nest, but that doesn't mean it is not there... because Hummingbird nests are very tiny- made from lichen, moss, and stolen spiderweb strands... so they can be completely camouflaged in an ancient old rose like this. It could be inches from your face and you would miss it, since it would just look like a part of the plant.

This wonderful element of "our" Cecile's life came about unintentionally on our part, but has been a very happy accident that instantly became a huge asset to the Children's Garden. When this large rose was donated to the Children's Garden in 2003, we originally left the old woody canes and deadwood on it because we had no structure for the rose to climb on and wanted to give its few new canes something to drape over. But now it is such a reliable place to watch Hummingbirds, it has become one of the best "hot spots" in the garden for children and families who attend Nature Explorers Camps, special events, or just regularly stroll though!

You may have seen Rosa 'Cecile Brunner' in other gardens, trained onto an arbor or wall of a house, and carefully pruned each year to keep only the largest, young canes. If you take a good look at our Cecile, you can quickly see that we do not take care of it in this way. Our Cecile is purposefully kept "under-maintained", because its beauty as a home for the Hummingbirds has transcended its rather free-form appearance. Yet despite the minimal pruning we do each year, it has remained very healthy and blooms its head off every spring and summer! So we'll continue with that maintenance plan for the foreseeable future, and rejoice in the unique life that it nutures.

If you're in the garden one of these days soon, you might see some of the courtship displays going on- Anna's Hummingbirds typically start nesting in February, so now is the time for the males to impress a potential mate with spectacular aerial displays- just don't stand too close or you might get a little tap on the head as they swoop by!

Speaking of being in the garden, our programs and activities are starting up soon, with much to choose from for children and families to attend, or for volunteer participation. Visit www.magnnusonnatureprograms.blogspot.com for all the details!

Happy New Year from the Children's Garden Committee!

Fall Harvest Celebration!

2011-09-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

The Children's Garden has a lot of extra special reasons to say "hip hip hooray" this year, and welcomes you to add your cheers at the

2nd Annual Fall Harvest Celebration!
A huge extravaganza, co-hosted by Magnuson Community Center and Magnuson Community Garden
Saturday October 1st
11:30am-2:30pm
FREE activities for children and families will take place in the Children's Garden, Amphitheater, Demonstration Orchard, and nearby grassy areas:

Wiggle-waggle your way through the orchard maze scavenger hunt
Make nature art sculptures or chalk art
Explore the worm bin
Visit the fruit tasting and cider press tent
Take a tour of the garden, led by Nature Explorers
Help present our seeds to the Himawari Project (see August posting)
Sing "Happy Birthday" to the Children's Garden
Dance your heart out at the Caspar Babypants concert
Win prizes at the pumpkin walk
and much much more!

Volunteers are needed to help make this event even more special. Email us at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com if you would like to help.

Here's a few of the things we have to cheer about this year:

The Grey Whale Garden got a brand new eye to replace the one that was stolen in 2010. Look closely when you walk by, and you might see the whale wink at you with delight!

Your votes helped Magnuson Community Garden win a $4000.00 grant from DeLoach Organic Vineyards and Organic Gardening Magazine, which it will use to build disabled-access garden beds in the P-Patch and install educational signage throughout the site.

Volunteers continued to support the garden by using their time, energy, and talent to keep it beautiful! We are especially grateful to King Co. Master Gardeners, Seattle Works, and children in the Magnuson Community Center Nature Explorers Program.

The Children's Garden is 10 years old! It's hard to believe that the first design charettes with children and parents from local schools took place in the fall of 2001. The wonderful and whimsical ideas generated at these events (and others in 2002) are what makes the Children's Garden so special and unique to this day. The vision of children is what brought the Rolling Hill, Lookout, Grey Whale Garden, Salmon Survival Path, and Starfish Border to life, and continues to add fantastic new features to the garden each year!
For more information on this event or any others, email us at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com

Thanks for helping us win the grant contest!!!

2011-08-04T10:04:00.000-07:00

Dear friends of the Magnuson Children's Garden,

Your vote helped Magnuson Community Garden rally in the vote count at the very end of the nationwide contest to squeak in at #5, and therefore win a $4000.00 grant from DeLoach Organic Vineyards and Organic Gardening Magazine!

Thanks to you, the Community Garden will be able to build disabled-access garden beds in the P-Patch and install educational signage throughout the site. This will create more opportunities for gardeners of all ages and abilities to grow their own food, and will make it easier for each and every visitor to the Community Garden to learn about the 6 distinctly different areas within it as they stroll though its trails and pathways!

Thanks so much for your support!

Please help us celebrate during our last few events of the summer:

August "Free Fridays in the Garden"
The Children's garden will host FREE, family-friendly gardening and nature exploration activities during the concert featuring Caspar Babypants!

Friday Aug. 12th from 6-8pm

This event is co-hosted by Magnuson Community Center. Come dance, dig, and explore!

5th annual "Blues for Food Fest", a day-long benefit concert for the P-Patch Trust, who support local food banks, shelters, and hot meals programs. Free gardening fun for the whole family during the afternoon hours of the concert.

Saturday September 3rd from 12noon-4pm.

United Way "Day of Caring" Bring your children to join volunteers in fall fun!

Friday September 16th from 9am-12noon

Magnuson Community Garden 10th Anniversary Celebration and annual Jr. Nature Explorers Jamboree & Fall Harvest Celebration!

Saturday October 1st from 11:30am-2:30pm FREE

A huge extravaganza, co-hosted by Magnuson Community Center and Magnuson Community Garden. Featuring a wide variety of fun for the whole family: orchard maze, pumpkin walk, cider press, scavenger hunts, prizes, Anniversary singalong, Himawari Project ceremony, Caspar Babypants concert, and much much more!

The Himawari Project
A wonderful international gardening event began this summer, called the Himawari Project. Himawari is the Japanese word for Sunflower, and besides being one of nature's most beautiful flowers, himawari have the amazing ability to absorb radioactive cesium from contaminated soil, thereby neutralizing its effects. Himawari Project volunteers have distributed hundreds of packages of sunflower seeds at events in Seattle earlier this summer, to be grown in gardens all over the Pacific Northwest. This fall, they will send the seeds collected from these sunflowers to the farmers of Northern Japan, to be planted in their fields next year to help heal the nuclear contaminated lands. Besides absorbing the cesium, the mature sunflower plants can be used to safely make biodeisel fuels. The Himawari Project sends a powerful message of caring, hope, and beauty to our friends in Japan who have suffered so much this year.

Growing a sunflower forest was already part of the Nature Explorers Program summer camp plans when we heard about the Himawari project, and a "Sunflower Forest" had already been planted by children in several locations on the garden hill. That "forest" has now been added to and lovingly tended by all Nature Explorers campers from preschoolers to 3rd graders who have learned about the Himawari Project as part of their camp activities. The seeds from our "forest" will be harvested by children and families who attend the October 1st celebration event at Magnuson Community Garden, and presented to representatives from the Himawari Project who will honor us with their attendance. You can harvest and donate your own homegrown sunflower seeds to the Himawari Project too! To contact the Himawari Project, visit http://artistsforjapan.blogspot.com

For more info on any Magnuson Children's Garden events listed above, email us at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com

Please Vote for Us!

2011-04-17T14:35:00.000-07:00

Please Vote For Us!

Organic Gardening Magazine and DeLoach Organic Winery have chosen the Magnuson Community Garden to participate in a nationwide grant contest, and you can help us win a $3,000-4,000 grant by casting your vote for us at

or by visiting www.deloachcommunitygardens.com/.

2011 marks the tenth anniversary of the 4-acre Magnuson Community Garden, which contains the fabulous and fun Children's Garden, a bird-filled Native Plant Border, Demonstration Orchard with over 40 fruit trees, a Tranquil Garden for horticulture therapy, and a Native Plant Nursery that grows plants for restoration projects all over the city.

The Community Garden was largely built and is maintained by volunteers from the community. It also contains one of the largest P-Patches in King County, which donates more than 4,000 pounds of fresh produce to local food banks each year, and an outdoor amphitheater that provides a picturesque setting for free summer concerts, Shakespeare-in-the-park performances, and other special events.

Web site viewers can vote online at www.deloachcommunitygardens.com once a day for their favorite garden between now and July 31. The Magnuson Community Garden icon is a closeup from the above photo, of two smiling girls holding their newly made scarecrows at our 2010 Fall Harvest Celebration!

The five gardens receiving the most votes will each receive a $3,000-4,000 grant. If the Community Garden receives one of the grants, it will fund two very worthy projects that will benefit all visitors, especially seniors and disabled gardeners:

A much-needed major expansion to the disabled-access P-Patch plots, which provide wheelchair-height and standing-height garden beds for gardeners who cannot use the standard in-ground plots.

Interpretive signs to make it easy for all visitors to find their way around all the different areas of the Community Garden, and to understand the mission and goals of each area.

For more information about the entire Magnuson Community Garden, please go to www.seattle.gov/magnusongarden

And thanks for your vote!!!

Spring and Summer Events!

2011-04-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

You're invited to come to the garden to enjoy fun and educational activities!
April 9th re-dedication of the Gary Whale Garden as the grand finale of the Celebrate Urban Nature event: the big moment when the new eye was unveiled! For more info and photos, go to www.jrnatureexplorers.blogspot.com

NEW this year: "Summer Sunset Gardening" with Seattle Works volunteers! Families welcome to enjoy garden exploration, nature art and other activities, or to help with simple summer tasks.

Wednesday May 18th from 6-8pm
Wednesday June 1st from 6-8pm
Wednesday July 6th from 6-8pm
Wednesday August 3rd from 6-8pm

Finding the flowers of the "Mouse Plant" on April 9th.

"Summer Fridays in the Garden" during Free Family Concerts

Friday July 8th from 6-8pm, featuring Board of Education!
Friday Aug. 12th from 6-8pm, featuring Caspar Babypants!

These events are co-hosted by Magnuson Community Center. Dance, dig, and explore!

4th annual "Blues for Food Fest", a day-long benefit concert for the P-Patch Trust, who support local food banks, shelters, and hot meals programs. Free gardening fun for the whole family during the afternoon hours of the concert.

Saturday September 3rd from 12noon-4pm.

United Way "Day of Caring" Bring your children to join volunteers in fall fun!

Friday September 23rd from 9am-12noon

2nd annual "Fall Harvest Celebration and Jamboree", co-hosted by the Magnuson Community Center. Family-friendly concert, orchard maze, pumpkin walk, cider press, and more!

Saturday October 1st from 10:30am-2:00pm

Volunteers are needed at each of these events, and you can choose from a variety of ways to help: help guide the volunteers from Seattle Works and other groups, help children explore the garden and worm bin or make nature art projects during events, help set up refreshments, or other support activities. Please RSVP to magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com if you would like to help- and thanks in advance!

Come Celebrate Spring in the Garden!

2011-04-04T12:49:00.000-07:00

Re-dedication of the Gray Whale Garden!

On Saturday, April 9th, Magnuson Community Center is kicking off its 2011 Nature Programs with a huge party- the 2nd annual "Celebrate Urban Nature" event! As a grand finale to the festivities, we will have a big parade down the block from the Community Center to the Children's Garden for a re-dedication of the Gray Whale Garden and its brand new eye!

We know you will thoroughly enjoy spending your day at the park, because the "Celebrate Urban Nature" event is chock-full of natural fun!

It begins with our first Family Wetland Walk of the year, from 9am-10am in the new Magnuson Wetlands (meet at 9am at the wetlands' south entry in the 65th St parking lot)
The rest of the event will be held at the Magnuson Community Center, starting at 10:30am with a free family-oriented concert by Eric Ode!
The entire gymnasium will be filled with a myriad of hands-on nature activities including the "Nature Explorers Lab", Roving Reptiles, a Bug Zoo, booths from many local environmental organizations, and much much more.
At 1:45pm the parade begins to the Children's Garden re-dedication festivities!

Magnuson Community Center is located inside Magnuson Park, at 7110 62nd Ave NE, Seattle, WA. For more information, call 206-684-7026

Thank You Ciscoe and Northwest Horticultural Society!
Once again, fortune has smiled upon us in the form of Ciscoe Morris and his recommendation to us to apply for a grant from the Northwest Horticultural Society (NHS), to fund the new whale eye. We are overjoyed to have received their grant and to have been able to make the Gray Whale Garden complete again.

New events and activities in store for 2011!

2011-01-26T19:24:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! And Happy 10th Anniversary to the Magnuson Children's Garden!

2011 has begun with great news to report: mosaic artist Clare Dohna has finished constructing the new whale eye for the Gray Whale Garden, and will be installing it soon! Perhaps the raindrops sparking on the beautiful new eye will even brighten up the remaining winter days as well...

Speaking of brightening up a winter day, Seattle Works volunteers will be doing just that at our first workparty of the year on Saturday, February 12th. Another energetic team from this wonderful organization has chosen the Children's Garden for their 2nd "Green Spaces" event of the year also. In March, the garden will also host a Seattle P-Patch children's gardening workshop- what a great way to start the growing season! Check out the following list for all the fabulous fun in store for 2011:

Saturday Feb 12th from 10am-2pm: Family Gardening Day with Seattle Works volunteers. Bring your children for garden exploration activities, and bring your home garden questions for free consultation with King County Master Gardeners!

Saturday March 19th from 9:30am-12noon: FREE Children's Gardening workshop taught by Emily Bishton. Learn garden tips and techniques, fun and educational games and songs to do in the garden with children. Advance registration required. For more info or to RSVP, contact kenya.fredie@seattle.gov SORRY- THIS EVENT IS FULL, but we hope to host another one later in the year.

Saturday April 2nd from 10am-2pm: Family Gardening Day with Seattle Works volunteers. Bring your children for garden exploration activities, and bring your home garden questions for free consultation with King County Master Gardeners!

Saturday April 9th from 1:45-2:30pm: Re-dedication of the Gray Whale Garden and its brand new eye! This will be the grand finale of the 2nd annual "Celebrate Urban Nature" event at the Magnuson Community Center, which begins at 10:30am. Come enjoy the free family concert, nature games and presentations at the community center, then join the "nature parade" down to the Children's Garden for the re-dedication festivities!

NEW this year: "Summer Sunset Gardening" with Seattle Works volunteers! Families welcome to enjoy garden exploration and help with simple summer tasks.

Wednesday May 18th from 6-8pm
Wednesday June 1st from 6-8pm
Wednesday July 6th from 6-8pm
Wednesday August 3rd from 6-8pm

Other Fun Events:

"Summer Fridays in the Garden" during Free Family Concerts on July 8th & August 12th, hosted by Magnuson Community Center. Dance, dig, and explore!

Saturday September 3rd from 12noon-4pm: Fourth annual "Blues for Food Fest" a day-long benefit concert for the P-Patch Trust, who support local food banks, shelters, and hot meals programs. Free gardening fun for the whole family during the afternoon hours of the concert.

Friday September 23rd from 9am-12noon: United Way's "Day of Caring". Bring your children to join volunteers in fall fun!

Saturday October 1st: End the season with the second annual "Fall Harvest Celebration and Jamboree", co-hosted by the Magnuson Community Center. Orchard maze, pumpkin walk, cider press, and more!

Volunteers are needed at each of these events, and you can choose from a variety of ways to help: guide the volunteers from Seattle Works and other groups, help children explore the garden and worm bin or make nature art projects, help set up refreshments, or other support activities. Please RSVP to magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com if you would like to help- and thanks in advance!

Great News for November!

2010-11-04T06:35:00.001-07:00

The Grey Whale Garden will get a new eye!
Most of you know that we had a tragic loss last April, when thieves dug and cut and pried out one of the beautiful mosaic eyes from our Grey Whale Garden. The hundreds of children who find delight in spending time in the Children's Garden each year were saddened and confused by this crime, which was hard on all the grown-ups too. Yet we will always be grateful for all the kind words of support and acts of kindness that have been shown to the garden ever since.

All summer long we were hoping that a kind (or guilt-ridden) person would give the police a tip that led to its return, but alas not a single clue came in. So today it is a huge thrill to announce that the Grey Whale Garden will get a new eye! Here's how it happened: When Clare Dohna - the artist who made the original mosaic for the whole sculpture - came back to reinforce the remaining eye with a major amount of concrete, she offered to make a new eye for much less cost than what her work is worth. What a generous and kind (as well as talented) person she is!

The Children's Garden Committee then began fund-raising efforts, which were kicked off by donations from parents and children who attended the Magnuson Community Center free family concert on July 30th. But with the tiny annual budget of the Children's Garden, the new eye still seemed out of reach until Ciscoe Morris suggested that we write a grant request to the Northwest Horticultural Society www.northwesthort.org. NHS is a wonderful organization that has provided public education and support for gardeners in our region for decades. We are so grateful to all the members of the NHS board for awarding the grant to the Children's Garden, and we are so excited that Clare can now get started on the eye!

On behalf of all the children (and grown-ups) who love the Children's Garden and its gorgeous Grey Whale, all we can say is "hip-hip-hooray!"

Thank You Volunteers!
This year, the Children's Garden Committee hosted 12 workparties and 5 special events, none of which would have been possible without the support of our fellow volunteers. We were honored to have adults and children from the local community, Scout, Campfire, and Y-Guides groups, Edmonds Community College Horticulture students, King Co. Master Gardeners, Seattle Works, and United Way Day of Caring volunteers each come spend a few hours with us to enhance and maintain the garden, with generous tool loans from Seattle Parks & Recreation.
In addition, our collaboration with Magnuson Community Center and the help of their teen volunteers made it possible for us to offer more special events this year than ever before.

We welcome all volunteer groups who would like to help keep the Children's Garden's growing and sustainable. As the Seattle Works volunteers (photo above) will testify, our events are tons of fun too! For more photos and info about our wonderful volunteers, visit the July 24th posting.

Come Visit!
The Magnuson Children’s Garden is open FREE to the public year-round, during all hours that the park is open. It is an interactive, vibrant place, filled with plants and other features that delight all the senses:

• A sea of grasses that rustle in the wind.
• Hundreds of plants that feed butterflies and other beneficial insects, hummingbirds and songbirds.
• Child-size picnic tables, plus tree stump stools and benches to sit and dream.
• A spiral path up a hill to the Lookout, the highest point in the whole community garden.
• The Fort Zone, complete with everything you'll need to build a unique "house" of your own.
• The Salmon Survival Path, which winds from our "ocean" up to the Lookout.
• and its signature feature, the Grey Whale Garden, complete with mosaic tail and eyes, and a tall grass spout!

Links:
For more information on Children's Garden events and volunteer opportunities, contact the Magnuson Children's Garden Committee at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com

For info about the Jr. Nature Explorers program, which is sponsored by the Magnuson Community Center, visit http://jrnatureexplorers.blogspot.com

You can also find additional information about the Magnuson Children’s Garden and Community Garden at http://www.seattle.gov/magnusongarden/default.htm

Directions to the Garden:
The Children's Garden is part of the 3.5 acre Magnuson Community Garden, located inside Warren G. Magnuson Park
7400 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
The Children's Garden is easy to find! It is located right behind building #406, also known as "The Brig". Metro bus #74 will take you right to the NE 74th St. park entrance. Whether you are traveling to the garden by foot, bus, or by car, follow these directions:

Enter Magnuson Park via the entrance at Sand Point Way NE and NE 74th St.
Take NE 74th St. approx. 4 blocks until you reach the second 4-way stop sign.
If you're driving, turn right at that 4-way stop and park in the huge parking lot. (if you reach the dog off-leash area you've gone too far)
The entrance to the Children's Garden is via the crosswalk & sidewalk on the north side of that 4-way stop. When you get a few steps in, look on your left for a giant entry arbor with colorful flags and a Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar Tree draped over its top, and the giant Grey Whale Garden !

Magnuson Park is a proud participant in the annual National Environmental Education Week, which was held this year from April 11th-17th. The Magnuson Community Center, Children's Garden, and Bird-Friendly Landscape hosted several educational events that week for school-age children!

For more info on National Environmental Education Week, visit http://www.eeweek.org

October Happenings!

2010-10-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Magnuson Children's Garden! We have one more event coming up this year, and we hope to see you there:

Family Gardening Event
Come spend an hour or two helping "put the garden to bed" for the winter on the city-wide Make a Difference Day! A wonderful group of volunteers from Seattle Works will be doing fall cleanup and mulching in the Children's Garden, and you are welcome to help. No previous gardening experience necessary! All adults who participate are invited to bring children with them for free nature activities, such as exploring the worm bin, going on sensory walks, and creating nature art. Tools and gloves are provided for all adults and children, along with refreshments. Teens receive service learning credit for their volunteering. To top it off, King County Master Gardeners and other horticultural experts will be on hand to answer questions about your own garden free of charge!

Thanks to all of you who attended our first annual "Nature Explorers Jamboree and Harvest Celebration" on Saturday October 2nd,
especially all the wonderful volunteers who made this event possible! The Magnuson Community Center and the Magnuson Community Garden did a fabulous job co-sponsoring this extravaganza for over 600 children and adults. To see photos of all the fun, visit www.jrnatureexplorers.blogspot.com !

Blues for Food Fest - Harvest Parade!
Here are a couple of photos from our Harvest Parade during this year's Blues for Food Fest, on Sept 4th. The parade has been a special event for the children and families who attend this annual music concert & fundraiser. We picked 14 baskets of green and purple beans, squash, tomatoes, strawberries, kohlrabi, chives, and oregano to donate to local food banks!

Garden Description
This vibrant, interactive, children’s garden is open FREE to the public year-round, during all hours that Magnuson Park is open. The garden was designed by a team of professionals, using the ideas that were dreamed up by children from the community, and is filled with plants and other features that delight all the senses:
• A sea of grasses that rustle in the wind.
• Hundreds of plants that feed butterflies and other beneficial insects, hummingbirds and songbirds.
• The Tea Garden and Pizza Garden.
• Child-size picnic tables, plus tree stump stools and benches to sit and dream.

• A spiral path up a hill to the Lookout, the highest point in the whole community garden.
• The Fort Zone, complete with everything you'll need to build a unique "house" of your own.
• The Salmon Survival Path, which winds from our "ocean" up to the Lookout.
• A Grey Whale Garden, complete with mosaic tail and eyes, and a tall grass spout!

We welcome all volunteer groups who would like to help sustain the Children's Garden. As the Seattle Works volunteers (photo left) will testify, our "Gardening Day" events are tons of fun too!

For more information on our events and volunteer opportunities, contact the Magnuson Children's Garden Committee at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com

Links:
For info about the Jr. Nature Explorers program, which is sponsored by the Magnuson Community Center, visit http://jrnatureexplorers.blogspot.com

You can also find additional information about the Magnuson Children’s Garden and Community Garden at http://www.seattle.gov/magnusongarden/default.htm

Directions to the Garden:
The Children's Garden is part of the 3.5 acre Magnuson Community Garden, located inside Warren G. Magnuson Park
7400 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
The Children's Garden is easy to find! It is located right behind building #406, also known as "The Brig". If you are traveling to the garden by foot or by car, follow these directions:

Enter Magnuson Park at the 74th St entrance. Go approx. 4 blocks until you reach the second 4-way stop sign. The entrance to the Community Garden is via the sidewalk on the north side of this intersection. The Children's Garden is just a few steps down the sidewalk- look on your left for an entry arbor with colorful flags and a Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar Tree draped over its top, and the giant Grey Whale Garden !

If you're driving, turn right at that second 4-way stop, and park in the Jr. League Playground parking lot. (if you reach the dog park you've gone too far) Use the crosswalk to go back across 74th St. and into the Children's Garden!

Magnuson Park is a proud participant in the annual National Environmental Education Week, which was held this year on April 11th-17th. The Magnuson Community Center, Children's Garden, and Bird-Friendly Landscape hosted several educational events that week for school-age children!

For more info on National Environmental Education Week, visit http://www.eeweek.org

Nature Jamboree & Harvest Celebration!

2010-09-28T08:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Magnuson Children's Garden- we hope you'll join us at our next event!
Nature Explorers Jamboree and Harvest Celebration
Saturday October 2nd
11:30am-2:00pm
Free admission for all the fun!
Sponsored by Magnuson Community Center and the Magnuson Community Garden.

Join in a great big celebration of another great year of Jr. Nature Explorers Camps, Family Nature Explorers Programs, and a bountiful harvest from the Magnuson P-Patch and Demonstration Orchard! There will be tons of fun for the whole family:

Scavenger hunts in an orchard maze
A fruit-tasting tent
Fresh cider pressing
Scarecrow-making
Nature art and fort-making
Worm bin exploration
Garden tours led by Jr. Nature Explorers
"Harvest Parade"
Pumpkin Walk
and more.....
Plus a very special musical guest appearance by Caspar Babypants, who will lead all children and adults in a fun "nature song sing-along"!

Blues for Food Fest - Harvest Parade!
Here are a couple of photos from our Harvest Parade during this year's Blues for Food Fest, on Sept 4th. The parade has been a special event for the children and families who attend this annual music concert & fundraiser. We picked 14 baskets of green and purple beans, squash, tomatoes, strawberries, kohlrabi, chives, and oregano to donate to local food banks!

Garden Description
This vibrant, interactive, children’s garden is open FREE to the public year-round, during all hours that Magnuson Park is open. The garden was designed by a team of professionals, using the ideas that were dreamed up by children from the community, and is filled with plants and other features that delight all the senses:
• A sea of grasses that rustle in the wind.
• Hundreds of plants that feed butterflies and other beneficial insects, hummingbirds and songbirds.
• The Tea Garden and Pizza Garden.
• Child-size picnic tables, plus tree stump stools and benches to sit and dream.

• A spiral path up a hill to the Lookout, the highest point in the whole community garden.
• The Fort Zone, complete with everything you'll need to build a unique "house" of your own.
• The Salmon Survival Path, which winds from our "ocean" up to the Lookout.
• A Grey Whale Garden, complete with mosaic tail and eyes, and a tall grass spout!

We welcome all volunteer groups who would like to help sustain the Children's Garden. As the Seattle Works volunteers (photo left) will testify, our "Gardening Day" events are tons of fun too!

For more information on our events and volunteer opportunities, contact the Magnuson Children's Garden Committee at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com

Links:
For info about the Jr. Nature Explorers program, which is sponsored by the Magnuson Community Center, visit http://jrnatureexplorers.blogspot.com

You can also find additional information about the Magnuson Children’s Garden and Community Garden at http://www.seattle.gov/magnusongarden/default.htm

Directions to the Garden:
The Children's Garden is part of the 3.5 acre Magnuson Community Garden, located inside Warren G. Magnuson Park
7400 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
The Children's Garden is easy to find! It is located right behind building #406, also known as "The Brig". If you are traveling to the garden by foot or by car, follow these directions:

Enter Magnuson Park at the 74th St entrance. Go approx. 4 blocks until you reach the second 4-way stop sign. The entrance to the Community Garden is via the sidewalk on the north side of this intersection. The Children's Garden is just a few steps down the sidewalk- look on your left for an entry arbor with colorful flags and a Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar Tree draped over its top, and the giant Grey Whale Garden !

If you're driving, turn right at that second 4-way stop, and park in the Jr. League Playground parking lot. (if you reach the dog park you've gone too far) Use the crosswalk to go back across 74th St. and into the Children's Garden!

Magnuson Park is a proud participant in the annual National Environmental Education Week, which was held this year on April 11th-17th. The Magnuson Community Center, Children's Garden, and Bird-Friendly Landscape hosted several educational events that week for school-age children!

For more info on National Environmental Education Week, visit http://www.eeweek.org

Fall is for Fun!

2010-09-05T08:02:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the Magnuson Children's Garden! We have some fun events planned for fall that we know you'll enjoy!

Family Gardening Day:
Friday September 24th
9:00am-12noon
(part of our United Way "Day of Caring" event)
Come spend an hour or two at the Magnuson Children's Garden! A wonderful group of volunteers from the Japan Business Association will be doing some fall cleanup and mulching to get ready for our big event on October 2nd (see below), and you are welcome to help. No previous gardening experience necessary! All adults who participate are invited to bring children with them for free nature activities, such as exploring the worm bin, going on sensory walks, and creating nature art. Tools and gloves are provided for all adults and children, along with refreshments. Teens receive service learning credit for their volunteering. To top it off, King County Master Gardeners and other horticultural experts will be on hand to answer questions about your own garden free of charge!

Nature Explorers Jamboree and Harvest Celebration
Saturday October 2nd
11:30am-2:00pm
Free admission for all the fun!
Sponsored by Magnuson Community Center and the Magnuson Community Garden.

Join in a great big celebration of another great year of Jr. Nature Explorers Camps, Family Nature Explorers Programs, and a bountiful harvest from the Magnuson P-Patch and Demonstration Orchard! There will be tons of fun for the whole family:

Scavenger hunts in an orchard maze
A fruit-tasting tent
Fresh cider pressing
Scarecrow-making
Nature art and fort-making
Worm bin exploration
Garden tours led by Jr. Nature Explorers
"Harvest Parade"
and more.....
Plus a very special musical guest appearance by Caspar Babypants, who will lead all children and adults in a fun "nature song sing-along"!

Blues for Food Fest - Harvest Parade!
Here are a couple of photos from yesterday's Harvest Parade, which has been a special event for the children and families who attend the annual Blues for Food Fest. We picked 14 baskets of green and purple beans, squash, tomatoes, strawberries, kohlrabi, chives, and oregano to donate to local food banks!

Garden Description
This vibrant, interactive, children’s garden is open FREE to the public year-round, during all hours that Magnuson Park is open. The garden was designed by a team of professionals, using the ideas that were dreamed up by children from the community, and is filled with plants and other features that delight all the senses:
• A sea of grasses that rustle in the wind.
• Hundreds of plants that feed butterflies and other beneficial insects, hummingbirds and songbirds.
• The Tea Garden and Pizza Garden.
• Child-size picnic tables, plus tree stump stools and benches to sit and dream.

• A spiral path up a hill to the Lookout, the highest point in the whole community garden.
• The Fort Zone, complete with everything you'll need to build a unique "house" of your own.
• The Salmon Survival Path, which winds from our "ocean" up to the Lookout.
• A Grey Whale Garden, complete with mosaic tail and eyes, and a tall grass spout!

We welcome all volunteer groups who would like to help sustain the Children's Garden. As the Seattle Works volunteers (photo left) will testify, our "Gardening Day" events are tons of fun too!

For more information on our events and volunteer opportunities, contact the Magnuson Children's Garden Committee at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com

Links:
For info about the Jr. Nature Explorers program, which is sponsored by the Magnuson Community Center, visit http://jrnatureexplorers.blogspot.com

You can also find additional information about the Magnuson Children’s Garden and Community Garden at http://www.seattle.gov/magnusongarden/default.htm

Directions to the Garden:
The Children's Garden is part of the 3.5 acre Magnuson Community Garden, located inside Warren G. Magnuson Park
7400 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
The Children's Garden is easy to find! It is located right behind building #406, also known as "The Brig". If you are traveling to the garden by foot or by car, follow these directions:

Enter Magnuson Park at the 74th St entrance. Go approx. 4 blocks until you reach the second 4-way stop sign. The entrance to the Community Garden is via the sidewalk on the north side of this intersection. The Children's Garden is just a few steps down the sidewalk- look on your left for an entry arbor with colorful flags and a Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar Tree draped over its top, and the giant Grey Whale Garden !

If you're driving, turn right at that second 4-way stop, and park in the Jr. League Playground parking lot. (if you reach the dog park you've gone too far) Use the crosswalk to go back across 74th St. and into the Children's Garden!

Magnuson Park is a proud participant in the annual National Environmental Education Week, which was held this year on April 11th-17th. The Magnuson Community Center, Children's Garden, and Bird-Friendly Landscape hosted several educational events that week for school-age children!

For more info on National Environmental Education Week, visit http://www.eeweek.org

Come Have Fun in the Sun!

2010-08-07T16:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Magnuson Children's Garden! We have several more fun events planned for this summer and fall, and we hope to see your smiling face!

Garden Description
This vibrant, interactive, children’s garden is open FREE to the public year-round, during all hours that Magnuson Park is open. The garden was designed by a team of professionals, using the ideas that were dreamed up by children from the community, and is filled with plants and other features that delight all the senses:
• A sea of grasses that rustle in the wind.
• Hundreds of plants that feed butterflies and other beneficial insects, hummingbirds and songbirds.
• The Tea Garden and Pizza Garden.
• Child-size picnic tables, plus tree stump stools and benches to sit and dream.

• A spiral path up a hill to the Lookout, the highest point in the whole community garden.
• The Fort Zone, complete with everything you'll need to build a unique "house" of your own.
• The Salmon Survival Path, which winds from our "ocean" up to the Lookout.
• A Grey Whale Garden, complete with mosaic tail and eyes, and a tall grass spout!

Here is a list of all the fun events planned for children and their parents in the Magnuson Children's Garden during the rest of summer and fall:
Family Gardening Days:
Wednesday August 18th from 1:00-3:00pm
Friday September 24th from 9:00am-12noon (part of our United Way "Day of Caring" event)

Come spend a summer morning or afternoon at the Magnuson Children's Garden, doing simple and easy tasks to help care for the garden! All adults who participate are invited to bring children with them for free nature activities, such as exploring the worm bin, going on sensory walks, creating nature art, planting and harvesting! Tools and gloves are provided for all adults and children, along with refreshments. Teens receive service learning credit for their volunteering. To top it off, King County Master Gardeners and other horticultural experts are on hand at each event to answer questions about your own garden free of charge!

Garden Celebration Events:
Each summer, the Children’s Garden hosts fun activities for children and families during some of the musical events held at the Magnuson Amphitheater, which is adjacent to the garden.

Saturday September 4th from 12noon-4:00pm:
The Blues for Food Festival
Explore the worm bin, make nature art, and take a 'scratch-and-sniff' leaf walk during this day-long concert event. Children's Garden activities are free, and the funds raised by the concert admission will benefit the P-Patch Trust, which provides food for needy families all across the city and funds the purchase of land for new P-Patches where Seattle residents can grow their own organic produce. This event features performances by many of the area's best blues bands, fabulous food, and a homemade pie auction! Families can also help pick fresh produce from the Jr. Nature Explorers P-Patch to donate to local food banks. For more info, visit www.bluesforfoodfest.org

Saturday October 2nd from 11:30am-2:00pm
Nature Explorers Jamboree and Harvest Celebration
Free admission for all the fun! Sponsored by Magnuson Community Center
Join in celebrating of another great year of Jr. Nature Explorers Camps, Family Nature Explorers Programs, and a bountiful harvest from the Magnuson P-Patch and Demonstration Orchard! There will be tons of fun for the whole family: Scavenger hunts in an orchard maze, a fruit-tasting tent, cider pressing, scarecrow-making, garden tours led by Jr. Nature Explorers, picking produce for local food banks, a "Harvest Parade", and more..... plus a very special musical guest appearance by Caspar Babypants, who will lead a "nature song sing-along"!

We welcome all volunteer groups who would like to help sustain the Children's Garden. As the Seattle Works volunteers (photo left) will testify, our workparty events are tons of fun too!

For more information on our events and volunteer opportunities, contact the Magnuson Children's Garden Committee at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com

Links:
For info about the Jr. Nature Explorers program, which is sponsored by the Magnuson Community Center, visit http://jrnatureexplorers.blogspot.com

You can also find additional information about the Magnuson Children’s Garden and Community Garden at http://www.seattle.gov/magnusongarden/default.htm

Directions to the Garden:
The Children's Garden is part of the 3.5 acre Magnuson Community Garden, located inside Warren G. Magnuson Park
7400 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
The Children's Garden is easy to find! It is located right behind building #406, also known as "The Brig". If you are traveling to the garden by foot or by car, follow these directions:

Enter Magnuson Park at the 74th St entrance. Go approx. 4 blocks until you reach the second 4-way stop sign. The entrance to the Community Garden is via the sidewalk on the north side of this intersection. The Children's Garden is just a few steps down the sidewalk- look on your left for an entry arbor with colorful flags and a Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar Tree draped over its top, and the giant Grey Whale Garden !

If you're driving, turn right at that second 4-way stop, and park in the Jr. League Playground parking lot. (if you reach the dog park you've gone too far) Use the crosswalk to go back across 74th St. and into the Children's Garden!

Magnuson Park is a proud participant in the annual National Environmental Education Week, which will be held this year on April 11th-17th. The Magnuson Community Center, Children's Garden, and Bird-Friendly Landscape hosted several educational events that week for school-age children!

For more info on National Environmental Education Week, visit http://www.eeweek.org

Volunteers are the Greatest!!!

2010-07-24T18:28:00.000-07:00

This past Wednesday, the Children's Garden was visited by an awesome group of volunteers from Seattle Works. They spent 2 hours working hard in the hot sun, to completely weed and mulch the Grey Whale Garden and surrounding areas, to make it all 'spiffed up' for the next day's filming of "Gardening with Ciscoe". And they did it all with smiles on their faces!

Today, another awesome group of Seattle Works volunteers came to do some major projects in the garden. How could we be so lucky! Over a dozen hearty soils spent 4 hours on another hot day, and the result was a transformation of the entire west side of the garden. They weeded and mulched the "Rose Tunnel", a huge bed of Fragrant Sumac, and the "Fort Zone". They also mulched all the main paths and gathering places, to make sure there is a soft landing for any little ones who take a tumble. On top of that, they completely renovated the giant kiosk so that children can paint a garden mural there.

Seattle Works <www.seattleworks.org> is a non-profit organization that has been a vital ingredient in the success and sustainability of the Children's Garden for several years now, enabling us to accomplish many expansion projects as well as helping keep the garden maintained.

Each group and team of volunteers that has come our way from Seattle Works has been full of life and laughter whether rain or shine, and their enthusiasm has been like "wind in the sails" for everyone associated with the garden. Some Seattle Works volunteers have also come up with great ideas for the garden! We are so grateful for the support from this wonderful organization, and all the volunteers who take part in its work.

Joining both of the Seattle Works events this week were volunteers from King County Master Gardeners, another non-profit organization that has been a stalwart and long-time supporter of the Children's Garden. Since 2002, veteran and intern Master Gardeners have been participating in the planning and development of the garden, as well as attending almost every workparty and special event that we have hosted. They too, have contributed an enormous amount of energy and ideas to the garden, and their dedication is a mainstay in its success and sustainability! The Master Gardener Foundation of King County also provides an annual donation to the Children's Garden for supplies and volunteer recognition.

Over the years, there have been many other volunteers and organizations involved in expanding and sustaining the Magnuson Children's Garden, and we are very grateful for all of their efforts. Here are a few more:

2 local Eagle Scout candidates who, along with their troop members, built two major additions to the garden: the first scout group built the giant entry arbor in 2005, and the second scout group built the colorful and beautiful Children's Garden sign and songbird roosting-boxes that grace it just this spring!

Horticulture students from Edmonds Community College, under the guidance of Christine Pfeiffer, instructor and long-time member of the Children's Garden Commitee: her students have expertly pruned many different types of shrubs in the Children's Garden on several occasions, as well as trees in the nearby Demonstration Orchard.

Parents, teachers, and students from Thornton Creek School, who created the beautiful and educational Salmon Survival Path mosaic in 2007.

Last but certainly not least, the many children from age 4-14 who have graced the garden with their willing hands, hard work, and joyous spirit over these past eight years!

We welcome you to contribute your efforts to sustaining the Magnuson Children's Garden, whether for a one-time workparty or for ongoing support. The Children's Garden is part of the Magnuson Community Garden, a registered 501-C3 non-profit organization. For more information, visit www.seattle.gov/magnusongarden
or email us at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com.

"Gardening with Ciscoe" in the Children's Garden!

2010-07-22T20:31:00.001-07:00

The Magnuson Children's Garden welcomed some very special guests today: Ciscoe Morris and Meeghan Black from the very popular "Gardening with Ciscoe" TV show!

A group of happy and excited children from the Jr. Nature Explorers program greeted Ciscoe and Meeghan, and showed them all their favorite parts of the Children's Garden: the Lookout, the Salmon Survival Path, Grey Whale Garden, Worm Bin, Starfish Garden, and of course the Rolling Lawn!

And guess what? Ciscoe even rolled down the hill with them!

There were several other special guests that day too: three of the young garden designers who first helped dream up all the features that make this garden so wonderful, and then helped dig holes for the very first "baby plants" that have now grown big and beautiful. These three knew the garden when it was just a parking lot, and helped transform it into what it is today, along with many others from the community!
Above: Jasper (far left) and Madison (very far right)
Below: Max

As they have grown up over the past 8 years, they have also seen the the legacy of their imagination, creation, and energy benefit all the young children who now find such joy in the garden.

One of the magical things about the Magnuson Children's Garden is that every interesting and colorful feature that you will see when you visit- from the "high peak" of the Lookout to the "ocean's edge" filled with Tide Pool and Bog Gardens- came from the imagination of dozens of young children. Design charettes in 2002-2003, hosted by a group of volunteer landscape professionals, enabled them to dream big and create a wish list of amazing ideas that the 'grown-ups' then put together into a plan. Subsequent charettes and ongoing input each year from children who love the garden have nurtured its growth, gradually and sustainably. And isn't it the way of all living things to start small and grow bigger?

Most of the children present for today's filming have been to the garden many times for Jr. Nature Explorers Camps or special events. But several were there for the first time, and yet instinctively knew how they could explore it, and were drawn to navigate each and every special place and make it their own. Seeing this happen again and again at each of our events is a reminder of the wisdom of children - both that of the young designers and that of the visitors!

Kids weren't the only ones having fun today, as it looked like all the 'grown-ups' found the whole garden quite enjoyable too!

The "Gardening with Ciscoe" episode featuring the Magnuson Children's Garden will premiere on the following dates and channels:

Saturday July 31st at 10am on KING-TV, channel 5

Saturday July 31st at 1:30pm on KONG-TV, channel 6

Sunday August 1st at 11:30am on NWCN-TV, channel 2

It will be aired again on:
Saturday August 14th at 10am on KING-TV, channel 5

Saturday August 14th at 1:30pm on KONG-TV, channel 6

Sunday August 15th at 11:30pm on NWCN-TV, channel 2

We hope you'll tune in, and that you'll come visit the garden yourself! For more info on the Magnuson Children's Garden and the list of all our upcoming summer and fall events, click on the June posting above, or contact us at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com

If you're interested in finding out about Magnuson Community Center's "Nature Explorers" Program would be a great fit for your child, family, or school, visit jrnatureexplorers.blogspot.com or contact the Magnuson Community Center at 206-684-7026.

Thanks again to Ciscoe, Meeghan, Anne, Wolfgang, and all the children and parents who brightened up the garden with their smiles today!

Summer Fun in the Children's Garden!

2010-06-09T16:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Magnuson Children's Garden website! We have lots of wonderful summer activities and events planned, and each one is designed to increase the fun, education, and sustainability of the garden.

Garden Description
This vibrant, interactive, children’s garden is open FREE to the public year-round, during all hours that Magnuson Park is open. The garden was designed by a team of professionals, using the ideas that were dreamed up by children from the community, and is filled with plants and other features that delight all the senses:
• A sea of grasses that rustle in the wind.
• Hundreds of plants that feed butterflies and other beneficial insects, hummingbirds and songbirds.
• The Tea Garden and Pizza Garden.
• Child-size picnic tables, plus tree stump stools and benches to sit and dream.
• A spiral path up a hill to the Lookout, the highest point in the whole community garden.
• The Fort Zone, complete with everything you'll need to build a unique "house" of your own.
• The Salmon Survival Path, which winds from our "ocean" up to the Lookout.
• A Grey Whale Garden, complete with mosaic tail and eyes, and a tall grass spout!

The Magnuson Children's Garden hosts free events throughout the spring and summer months that are fun for children and their parents. Here's what is planned:

Summer Events

Family Gardening Workparty Events:
Come spend a summer afternoon at the Magnuson Children's Garden, doing simple and easy tasks to help care for the garden! All adults who participate are invited to bring children with them for free nature activities, such as exploring the worm bin, going on sensory walks, creating nature art, planting and harvesting! Tools and gloves are provided for all adults and children, along with refreshments. Teens receive service learning credit for their volunteering. To top it off, King County Master Gardeners and other horticultural experts are on hand at each event to answer questions about your own garden free of charge!
Summer schedule:
Wednesday June 23rd from 1:00-3:00pm
Wednesday July 21st from 1:00-3:00pm
Saturday July 24th from 10:00am-2:00pm
Wednesday August 18th from 1:00-3:00pm

Summer Celebration Events:
Each summer, the Children’s Garden hosts fun activities for children and families during several of the musical events that are held at the Magnuson Amphitheater, which is adjacent to the garden.

Friday July 9th from 6:oo-8:00pm- Family Garden Party!
Enjoy free activities for children and families before and during the free concert by Seattle favorites 'Tickle Tune Typhoon"!

Friday July 30th from 6:oo-8:00pm- Family Garden Party!
Enjoy free activities for children and families before and during the free concert by Seattle favorites 'The Not Its"!

Saturday September 4th (Labor Day weekend) from 12noon-4pm:
Enjoy activities for children and families during the "Blues for Food Festival". This day-long concert event raises funds to benefit the P-Patch Trust, which provides food for needy families all across the city and funds the purchase of land for new P-Patches where Seattle residents can grow their own organic produce. This event features performances by many of the area's best blues bands, fabulous food, and a homemade pie auction! For more info, visit www.bluesforfoodfest.org

Fall Fun- Just scheduled!!!
Saturday October 2nd from 11:30am-2:00pm
Fall Harvest Celebration/Jr. Nature Camp Jamboree
Join in the celebration of another year of bountiful harvest from the Magnuson P-Patch, Jr. Nature Explorers Garden, and the Demonstration Orchard! Apple tasting, cider pressing, harvest maze, garden tours led by Jr. Nature Explorers, and more..... plus a very special musical guest appearance by Caspar Babypants!

We welcome all volunteer groups who would like to help sustain the Children's Garden. As the Seattle Works volunteers (photo left) will testify, our workparty events are tons of fun too!

For more information on our events and volunteer opportunities, contact the Magnuson Children's Garden Committee at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com

Links:
For info about the Jr. Nature Explorers program, which is sponsored by the Magnuson Community Center, visit http://jrnatureexplorers.blogspot.com

You can also find additional information about the Magnuson Children’s Garden and Community Garden at http://www.seattle.gov/magnusongarden/default.htm

Directions to the Garden:
The Children's Garden is part of the 3.5 acre Magnuson Community Garden, located inside Warren G. Magnuson Park
7400 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
The Children's Garden is easy to find! It is located right behind building #406, also known as "The Brig". If you are traveling to the garden by foot or by car, follow these directions:

Enter Magnuson Park at the 74th St entrance. Go approx. 4 blocks until you reach the second 4-way stop sign. The entrance to the Community Garden is via the sidewalk on the north side of this intersection. The Children's Garden is just a few steps down the sidewalk- look on your left for an entry arbor with colorful flags and a Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar Tree draped over its top, and the giant Grey Whale Garden !

If you're driving, turn right at that second 4-way stop, and park in the Jr. League Playground parking lot. (if you reach the dog park you've gone too far) Use the crosswalk to go back across 74th St. and into the Children's Garden!

Magnuson Park is a proud participant in the annual National Environmental Education Week, which will be held this year on April 11th-17th. The Magnuson Community Center, Children's Garden, and Bird-Friendly Landscape hosted several educational events that week for school-age children!

For more info on National Environmental Education Week, visit http://www.eeweek.org

Whale Eye Stolen!!!

2010-04-23T07:49:00.000-07:00

Sometime between Tues April 20th and Thurs April 22nd, this beautiful mosaic eye was stolen from the Magnuson Children's Garden whale garden sculpture. It is approx. 18" x 30", made from concrete, river rock, and tile, and weighs at least 75 lbs. A police report has been filed, along with photos, so if anyone tries to sell this to you as a 'garden ornament' or you see it anywhere, please call the police. Please circulate this photo to anyone you think would help spread the word. Thanks so much for your help.

Welcome to the Magnuson Children's Garden!

2010-03-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Magnuson Children's Garden! We have lots of wonderful activities and events planned for 2010, each designed to increase the fun, education, and sustainability of the garden.

Garden Description
This vibrant, interactive, children’s garden is open FREE to the public year-round, during all hours that Magnuson Park is open. The garden was designed by a team of professionals, using the ideas that were dreamed up by children from the community, and is filled with plants and other features that delight all the senses:
• A sea of grasses that rustle in the wind.
• Plants that feed butterflies and other beneficial insects, hummingbirds and songbirds.
• Blueberries and Currants for humans (and birds) to nibble.
• Tea and Pizza Gardens.
• Child-size picnic tables.
• A fort-building zone, complete with everything you'll need to create a unique place of your own.
• Tree stump stools and benches to sit and dream.
• A spiral path up a hill to the “Lookout”, the highest point in the whole community garden.
• A Grey Whale Garden, complete with mosaic tail and eyes, and a tall grass spout!

The Magnuson Children's Garden hosts free events throughout the spring and summer months that are fun for children and their parents. Here's what is planned:

Spring Events

Family Gardening Workparty Events:
Come spend a spring morning at the Magnuson Children's Garden, doing simple and easy tasks to help care for the garden! All adults who participate are invited to bring children with them for free nature activities, such as exploring the worm bin, going on sensory walks, creating nature art, planting and harvesting! Tools and gloves are provided for all adults and children, along with refreshments. Teens receive service learning credit for their volunteering. To top it off, King County Master Gardeners and other horticultural experts are on hand at each event to answer questions about your own garden free of charge!
Spring schedule:
Saturday April 3rd from 10:00am-2:00pm
Saturday April 24th from 10:00am-2:00pm

FREE CLASS for Parents and Children!
'How to Create a Child-Friendly Garden'
on Saturday May 1st from 11:30am-12:30pm
This free 1-hr. family-friendly class will start in the Magnuson Brig Building (aka Building 406) and include a guided tour and hands-on activities in the Children's Garden and Jr. Nature Explorers P-Patch Garden. This event is co-sponsored by the Magnuson Community Center, as part of its brand new 'Family Nature Explorers' program, and we'd love to have a full house! Pre-registration is requested by contacting Magnuson Community Center at 206-684-7026, but walk-ins are welcome too.

Summer Events:
Each summer, the Children’s Garden hosts fun activities for children and families during several of the musical events that are held at the Magnuson Amphitheater, which is adjacent to the garden. We also host one Family Gardening Workparty per month.

Wednesday June 23rd from 1:00-3:00pm- Family Gardening Workparty

Friday July 9th from 6:oo-8:00pm- Family Garden Party!
Enjoy free activities for children and families before and during the free concert by Seattle favorites 'Tickle Tune Typhoon"!

Wednesday July 21st from 1:00-3:00pm - Family Gardening Workparty

Friday July 30th from 6:oo-8:00pm- Family Garden Party!
Enjoy free activities for children and families before and during the free concert by Seattle favorites 'The Not Its"!

Wednesday August 18th from 1:00-3:00pm - Family Gardening Workparty

Saturday September 4th (Labor Day weekend) from 12noon-4pm:
Enjoy free activities for children and families during the "Blues for Food Festival", which raises funds to benefit the P-Patch Trust, and provide food for needy families all across the city. This day-long event features performances by many of the area's best blues bands, fabulous food, a homemade pie auction, and more!

For more information on any of these events, contact the Magnuson Children's Garden Committee at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com

Links:
For info about the Jr. Nature Explorers program, which is sponsored by the Magnuson Community Center, visit http://jrnatureexplorers.blogspot.com

You can also find additional information about the Magnuson Children’s Garden and Community Garden at http://www.seattle.gov/magnusongarden/default.htm

Directions to the Garden:
The Children's Garden is part of the 3.5 acre Magnuson Community Garden, located inside Warren G. Magnuson Park
7400 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
The Children's Garden is easy to find! It is located right behind building #406, also known as "The Brig". If you are traveling to the garden by foot or by car, follow these directions:

Enter Magnuson Park at the 74th St entrance. Go approx. 4 blocks until you reach the second 4-way stop sign. The entrance to the Community Garden is via the sidewalk on the north side of this intersection. The Children's Garden is just a few steps down the sidewalk- look on your left for an entry arbor with colorful flags and a Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar Tree draped over its top, and the giant Grey Whale Garden !

If you're driving, turn right at that second 4-way stop, and park in the Jr. League Playground parking lot. (if you reach the dog park you've gone too far) Use the crosswalk to go back across 74th St. and into the Children's Garden!

Magnuson Park is a proud participant in the annual National Environmental Education Week, which will be held this year on April 11th-17th. The Magnuson Community Center, Children's Garden, and Bird-Friendly Landscape will host 4 educational events that week for school-age children!

For more info on National Environmental Education Week, visit http://www.eeweek.org

Summer Successes and Fall Fun!

2009-09-06T08:33:00.000-07:00

9/5/09 Blues For Food
Concert Event

Families gathered in the Jr. Nature Explorers Garden to harvesting baskets of green beans, squash, and tomatoes to donate to the food bank!

Spring 2009 workparties with Seattle Works volunteers

A patch of weedy grass was transformed into a new gathering area for building beetle houses and camp forts!

Jr. Nature Explorers using the great new gathering space, which we want to expand with our Fall Family Workparties!

Summer 2009 Family Workparties

Children and adults pitched in at 3 summer events to weed and mulch, and keep the garden beautiful!

Fall is a great time to enjoy the garden- and we have two events planned:
At both events, volunteers will gather to maintain and enhance the garden, with guidance from the Children’s Garden Committee members. All adults who participate in these events are invited to bring children with them for free nature activities, such as exploring the worm bin, going on sensory walks, creating nature art, planting and harvesting! Tools and gloves are provided, as well as refreshments. To top it off, King County Master Gardeners and other horticultural experts are on hand at each event to answer questions about your own garden free of charge!

Saturday Sept 19th from 10am-2pm.
Seattle Works is sending us an energetic team of volunteers to do end-of-season cleanup and begin creating an exciting new project that will add beauty and more street safety to the children's garden. Tools and gloves are provided for all adults and children, and there will be refreshments! Come join in the fun and camaraderie as we work together towards these goals!

Saturday October 17th from 10am-2pm. Seattle Works is sending us another energetic team of volunteers to finish creating the exciting new project that will add beauty and more street safety to the children's garden. Tools and gloves are provided for all adults and children, and there will be refreshments! Come join in the fun and camaraderie as we work together towards this goal!

For more information, or to sign up to volunteer at any of these events, please contact the Magnuson Children's Garden Committee at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com

Links:
For info about the Jr. Nature Explorers program, which is sponsored by the Magnuson Community Center, visit http://jrnatureexplorers.blogspot.com

You can also find additional information about the Magnuson Children’s Garden and Community Garden at http://www.seattle.gov/magnusongarden/default.htm

Directions to the Garden:
The Children's Garden is part of the 3.5 acre Magnuson Community Garden, located inside Warren G. Magnuson Park
7400 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
The Children's Garden is easy to find! It is located right behind building #406, also known as "The Brig". If you are traveling to the garden by foot or by car, follow these directions:

Enter Magnuson Park at the 74th St entrance. Go approx. 4 blocks until you reach the second 4-way stop sign. The entrance to the Community Garden is via the sidewalk on the north side of this intersection. The Children's Garden is just a few steps down the sidewalk- look on your left for an entry arbor with colorful flags and a Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar Tree draped over its top, and the giant Grey Whale Garden !

If you're driving, turn right at that second 4-way stop, and park in the Jr. League Playground parking lot. (if you reach the dog park you've gone too far) Use the crosswalk to go back across 74th St. and into the Children's Garden!

Welcome to the Magnuson Children's Garden!

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For a fun family adventure any day of the year, visit the Magnuson Park Children’s Garden! The garden is open to the public free of charge each day from dawn to dusk, for self-guided tours.

Contents of this page:

A description of the garden's fun and educational features
Family workparty opportunities
Wildlife in the garden
2009 summer event schedule
Links
Directions to the garden

Garden Description
This vibrant, interactive, children’s garden was designed by a team of professionals, using the ideas that were dreamed up by children from the community. It is filled with plants and other features that delight all the senses, such as:

• A sea of grasses that rustle in the wind.
• Plants that feed butterflies and other beneficial insects, hummingbirds and songbirds.
• Blueberries and Currants for humans (and birds) to nibble on.
• Tea and Pizza Gardens.
• Child-size picnic tables.
• A spiral path up a hill to the “Lookout”, the highest point in the whole community garden.
• A Grey Whale Garden, complete with mosaic tail and eyes, and a tall grass spout!

Family Workparty Opportunities
Children and adult volunteers from the community also built and maintain the Magnuson Children's Garden. From spring to fall each year, the Children’s Garden Committee hosts FREE family activities there for community volunteers and their children! At these events, volunteers gather to maintain and enhance the Children’s Garden, with guidance from the Garden Coordinators. And all adults who participate in these events are invited to bring children with them for free nature activities, such as exploring the worm bin, going on sensory walks, creating nature art, planting and harvesting! Tools and gloves are provided, as well as refreshments. To top it off, King County Master Gardeners and other horticultural experts are on hand at each event to answer questions about your own garden free of charge!

Wildlife in the garden- August 2009 update:
Some exciting news about the increasing wildlife value of the Magnuson Children's Garden!

A pair of Chickadees successfully raised a brood of chicks in our nest box on the wooden arbor in June- and the children in the first Jr. Nature Explorers Camp of the summer got to hear the peep peep peep of the nestlings before they fledged the nest!
For 7 weeks in a row, a tree frog was found living in and (presumably) hunting bugs from inside our little garden shed! We left a pie pan of water out to keep him and the bugs happy..... but once the mid-August rains arrived, he must have found "greener pastures" to hunt from.
For the 2nd consecutive year, a garter snake has been seen patrolling the south garden perimeter or sleeping in the sunny spot on the hill, and our slug problems continue to disappear- yay! The children in Jr. Nature Explorers Camp and our workparty volunteers have been excited to have the chance to watch it slither through the garden!
Our regular "cast" of hummingbirds, white-crowned sparrows, swallows, and red wigglers also continue to delight!

Summer 2009 Children's Garden Events:

1) Friday August 7th from 6-8pm Recess Monkey Band @ Free Family Concert
We’ll be hosting free kid’s activity stations inside the children’s garden while this very popular band for kids and families gives a free concert in the Magnuson outdoor amphitheater, which is just across the lawn from the children’s garden.

2) Our next "Wednesday Workparty" is on August 12th from 1pm-3pm. Come help the garden grow! We will be working on some light weeding tasks and mulching. Tools and gloves provided for all adults and children, and there will be refreshments!

3) Our first big fall workparty will be on Saturday Sept 19th from 10am-2pm.
Seattle Works is sending us an energetic team of volunteers to do end-of-season cleanup and begin creating an exciting new project that will add beauty and more street safety to the children's garden. Tools and gloves are provided for all adults and children, and there will be refreshments! Come join in the fun and camaraderie as we work together towards these goals!

4) Our second big fall workparty will be on Saturday October 17th from 10am-2pm. Seattle Works is sending us another energetic team of volunteers to finish creating the exciting new project that will add beauty and more street safety to the children's garden. Tools and gloves are provided for all adults and children, and there will be refreshments! Come join in the fun and camaraderie as we work together towards this goal!

For more information, or to sign up to volunteer at any of these events, please contact the Magnuson Children's Garden Committee at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com

Links:
The Magnuson Children's Garden is also host to the Jr. Nature Explorers Program during the spring and summer months. For info about this program, which is sponsored by the Magnuson Community Center, visit http://jrnatureexplorers.blogspot.com

You can also find additional information about the Magnuson Children’s Garden and Community Garden at http://www.seattle.gov/magnusongarden/default.htm

The Children's Garden is part of the 3.5 acre Magnuson Community Garden, located inside Warren G. Magnuson Park
7400 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
The Children's Garden is easy to find! It is located right behind building #406, also known as "The Brig". If you are traveling to the garden by foot or by car, follow these directions:

Directions:
Enter Magnuson Park at the 74th St entrance. Go approx. 4 blocks until you reach the second 4-way stop sign. The entrance to the Community Garden is via the sidewalk on the north side of this intersection. The Children's Garden is just a few steps down the sidewalk- look on your left for an entry arbor with colorful flags and a Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar Tree draped over its top, and the giant Grey Whale Garden !

If you're driving, turn right at that second 4-way stop, and park in the Jr. League Playground parking lot. (if you reach the dog park you've gone too far) Use the crosswalk to go back across 74th St. and into the Children's Garden!

You're invited to the Magnuson Children's Garden!

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2009 Spring Children's Garden Events:

Saturday April 18th from 10am-2pm Seattle Works EARTH DAY Event.
Saturday April 25th from 10am-2pm Seattle Works Spring Garden Event.
Join us to kick off the spring gardening season! On both dates, 10-15 energetic Seattle Works volunteers will be doing routine garden maintenance and some very special new projects, and we welcome you to participate as well! Refreshments will be provided, and King County Master Gardeners will be teaching all volunteers about sheet-mulching and composting. The April 18th event is part of National Environmental Education week!

For more info visit http://www.eeweek.org

Sunday May 10th from 10am-4pm The Dedication Celebration for the Magnuson Community Center Bird-Friendly Landscape, and The Festival of Trees
Join us as we celebrate the completion of this great new landscape for birds and other urban wildlife, complete with native plants, nest boxes, a solar powered water feature, and more. FREE garden tours, refreshments, a marching band parade, and ribbon cutting with Ciscoe Morris!

Afterwards, join the short parade over to the Festival of Trees, a FREE, day-long "pep rally for our urban forest", featuring a huge variety of activities for families and children; performances by the New Old Time Chautauqua, and talks by famous local garden experts such as Marty Wingate, Arthur Lee Jacobsen, Linda Chalker-Scott, and Ciscoe. Plus, much, much more! We’ll be hosting two children’s activity areas- indoors in the Brig building (#406) and outside in the Children’s Garden. Both areas will have free nature crafts and exploration adventures that are lots of fun for kids and families! Visit http://birdfriendlylandscape.blogspot.com and www.plantamnesty.com for more info.

Wednesday June 17th, July 15th, and August 12th from 1-3pm Summer Afternoon “Mini-Workparties”
These are a summer tradition in the Children’s Garden, and a fun, low-key way to do small garden projects and maintenance. Free children’s activities will be provided.

For more information, or to sign up to volunteer at any of these events, please contact the Magnuson Children's Garden Committee at magnusonchildrensgarden@gmail.com

Additional 2009 Magnuson Park Environmental Events

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March 31st from 12noon to 3pm- Jr. Nature Explorer activity booth at the Magnuson Community Center "Spring Carnival" in Hangar #30. For more info, visit http://jrnatureexplorers.blogspot.com

April 25th from 10-11:30am- A Saturday-morning family class on "How to create a Bird-Friendly Landscape". For more information, call the Warren G. Magnuson Park Community Center at 206-684-7026, or download a quarterly brochure from their website at http://www.cityofseattle.net/parks/centers/magnuson.htm

April 13th- National Environmental Education Week program: Thornton Creek Elem. 3rd graders will visit the brand new Magnuson Community Center Bird-Friendly Landscape as part of a field trip pilot program.

May 4th- Thornton Creek Elem students will visit the Magnuson Community Garden for part two of the pilot field trip program.